I just got off the phone with my Minnesota state representative. He's nice guy whom I did not vote for but I'm used to having no one represent my positions in St. Paul since I live in Michelle Bachmann's district. People of my moderate left ilk are rare in this district.
As I said, he's a nice guy. I emailed him about the budget impasse that has shut down non-essential state government. This after signing the gajillionth MoveOn petition.
It was a nice conversation. But a complete waste of time. Seems he was sitting at home with little to do because of the shut down and so instead of replying to my email he phoned me within minutes of me pressing send. He just sad the same stuff you hear all the Republicans say on tevee and the papers except that he was not as peevish and disrespectful as they usually appear in public. But he remained adamant that his was the reasonable position and his caucus was the only one negotiating in good faith. I asked him what he would choose to cut since his caucus refuses to even begin to talk about revenue increases for the wealthiest. He gave me the usual stuff about how taxes are higher than any state and higher than ever before and how out of staters cheat the food stamp system and so on. He gave me stats about how increasing taxes on the wealthiest is bad for the middle class, yadda, yadda, yadda. I pointed out some factual and perceptual errors he was making. And it was a complete waste of time. So, I am sure, was signing that petition. Made me wonder, what's the use? No one ever changes their mind. Or do they?
I've written to my presidents, governors, US reps and sens. and state reps and sens. Never once have I sensed that it does any good, effects any change. When I write to Franken and Klobuchar it really only affirms them in their already held positions and when I write to Republican's it only evokes a standard defense of why they are going to ignore everything I had to say. I highly doubt any governor or president I've written to has even gotten in the same room as my letter or email.
Daily Kos people are largely far more knowledgable and equipped than me to engage a professional in policy conversations. Perhaps you have found writing or phoning your politicians to be anything better than a waste of time. Who really listens to anyone they disagree with? Who really is willing to learn information or a perspective that does not affirm a previously held position? Even psnyder's amazing hand written response from the president was the standard stiff arm.
Has anyone here gotten satisfaction from engaging any politician? And for that matter, has anyone here ever had their mind changed by discussion with a person who holds a different policy position?
Is everyone just talking to themselves and listening to no one?